Back in his days a songwriter/ producer at Motown Records, Norman Whitfield scored huge hits for the Temptations! When was asked record a soundtrack album for a 1976 Comedy film called Car Wash he initially did not want the job. When he was told the size of the pay cheque and he factored in that it was a chance to give some exposure to Rose Royce, a disco/funk backing band he was developing .

Initially he was having a challenge coming up with the song, inspiration finally struck him! Whitefield was playing a game of basketball, and he allegedly wrote his first draft of “Car Wash” on KFC takeout bag.